Saturday, January 15, 2011

Out To Lunch

Alright so thar Mingus post went over extremely well so in light of that here's another avant-jazz classic, Eric Dolphy's revolutionary Out To Lunch album. The arrangements are littered with oddball skronks and squeaks, and the band features top notch players Freddie Hubbard, Bobby Hutcherson, and a young kid named Tony Williams on the drums. Shortly after Out To Lunch was recorded, Dolphy headed to Europe to gig with his pal Mingus. After the the dates, Eric stayed behind in Germany, and picked up a few extra shows. One evening in Berlin, Dolphy collapsed and died later that night in the hospital. Why one of the greatest musical minds on earth died suddenly in a foreign hospital is still hotly debated, but some form of das negligence robbed us all of hearing what may have come next from this brilliant man. Dolphy didn't live to see his masterpiece released, or see it's long-standing significance. Oddly enough, A.B. Spellman's original liner notes make no mention of Dolphy's death, as if Spellman and the rest of the world were just not ready to accept it, especially considering how alive Out To Lunch sounds.

16 comments:

I was just thinking of posting this over at my utterly abysmal blog of overwhelming mediocrity. Where nobody would see it. Absolutely fantastic album, though, definitely one of my favourites in that region of music. Top notch work from the horns, vibes and bass. Williams was something like 18 when they recorded it, if I recall correctly. Bit of a trip, there, that a guy roughly as old as me contributed to something like this.

Great to have you back, by the way. Just in case you hadn't already heart that a few hundred times.

The Charles Mingus/Jaki Byard/Dannie Richmond rhythm section that Dolphy played with during that European tour is easily one of the greatest in any musical genre, any period, ever. Not everyone will like _Out To Lunch_'s off-kilter vibe but either the Charles Mingus _Town Hall Concert - Music Played on European Tour '64_ or _Revenge! The Legendary Paris Concerts_ are great places to start as well.

I agree with anonymous above, that Town Hall Concert: Music Played on European Tour '64 (a live date recorded, I believe, in America, to kick off the European tour) is one of the greatest things, ever, particularly as regards Mingus and Dolphy... anyway, yes, Out To Lunch is so terrific, I'm glad to see you're sharing it! Now, back to the Black Metal...

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